Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[RedJ]

I'm suddenly getting weird "Read track failed. Failed to initialize the encoder plugin" errors when trying to rip CDs to MP3.  I'm using the standard internal MP3 Encoder VBR using an MC settings preset.  If I switch encoders to WMA everything works fine.  I've reinstalled several times just in case the encoder got corrupted, but that doesn't seem to help.  Every rip attempt also leaves behind a running lame.exe process, so it doesn't even seem to be shutting down the rip gracefully.

[UPDATE] When I switched the encoder to external and pointed it to the LAME.exe in the MC folder, everything ripped just fine.  Doesn't the internal encoder use LAME?

Here's my relevant system info:

Media Center Registered 12.0.400 -- C:\Program Files\J River\Media Center 12\
Microsoft Windows Vista 6.0  (Build 6000)
Ripping /   Drive E: TSSTcorpDVD+-RW TS-H653A  Mode:Normal  Type:Auto  Speed:Max
  Digital playback: Yes /  Use YADB: Yes /  Get cover art: Yes /  Calc replay gain: Yes /  Copy volume: 32767

and here are some details on the error from the log (track and filenames have been rename to a generic example, since it's universal for all CDs I attempt to rip):

Code: [Select]

0032277: 5916: General: CRipTask::CreateMessageWindow: Start
0032277: 5916: General: CRipTask::CreateMessageWindow: message window created with hwnd=4a094e
0032277: 5916: General: CRipTask::CreateMessageWindow: Finish (0 ms)
0032292: 5916: General: CRipTask::CreateMessageWindow: Start
0032292: 5916: General: CRipTask::CreateMessageWindow: message window created with hwnd=32089c
0032292: 5916: General: CRipTask::CreateMessageWindow: Finish (0 ms)
0032292: 5916: General: CRipTask::CreateMessageWindow: Start
0032292: 5916: General: CRipTask::CreateMessageWindow: message window created with hwnd=aa0a70
0032292: 5916: General: CRipTask::CreateMessageWindow: Finish (0 ms)
0032292: 5916: General: CRipTask::CreateMessageWindow: Start
0032292: 5916: General: CRipTask::CreateMessageWindow: message window created with hwnd=bd096a
0032292: 5916: General: CRipTask::CreateMessageWindow: Finish (0 ms)
0032292: 5916: General: CRipTask::CreateMessageWindow: Start
0032292: 5916: General: CRipTask::CreateMessageWindow: message window created with hwnd=2b0bac
0032292: 5916: General: CRipTask::CreateMessageWindow: Finish (0 ms)
0032292: 5916: General: CRipTask::CreateMessageWindow: Start
0032292: 5916: General: CRipTask::CreateMessageWindow: message window created with hwnd=360b7c
0032292: 5916: General: CRipTask::CreateMessageWindow: Finish (0 ms)
0032308: 5916: General: CRipTask::CreateMessageWindow: Start
0032308: 5916: General: CRipTask::CreateMessageWindow: message window created with hwnd=240b9a
0032308: 5916: General: CRipTask::CreateMessageWindow: Finish (0 ms)
0032308: 5916: General: CRipTask::CreateMessageWindow: Start
0032308: 5916: General: CRipTask::CreateMessageWindow: message window created with hwnd=1e0b22
0032308: 5916: General: CRipTask::CreateMessageWindow: Finish (0 ms)
0032308: 5916: General: CRipTask::CreateMessageWindow: Start
0032308: 5916: General: CRipTask::CreateMessageWindow: message window created with hwnd=630cb8
0032308: 5916: General: CRipTask::CreateMessageWindow: Finish (0 ms)
0032308: 5916: General: CRipTask::CreateMessageWindow: Start
0032308: 5916: General: CRipTask::CreateMessageWindow: message window created with hwnd=440d46
0032308: 5916: General: CRipTask::CreateMessageWindow: Finish (0 ms)
0032308: 5916: General: CRipTask::CreateMessageWindow: Start
0032308: 5916: General: CRipTask::CreateMessageWindow: message window created with hwnd=440cce
0032323: 5916: General: CRipTask::CreateMessageWindow: Finish (15 ms)
0032323: 5916: General: CRipTask::CreateMessageWindow: Start
0032323: 5916: General: CRipTask::CreateMessageWindow: message window created with hwnd=3d0d4a
0032323: 5916: General: CRipTask::CreateMessageWindow: Finish (0 ms)
0032698: 5916: General: CRipTask::StartRipping: Start
0032698: 5916: General: CRipTask::StartRipping: temp filename=D:\Users\Jay\Music\Temp\Artist - Name.wav
0032698: 5916: General: CRipTask::InitCDCopy: Start
0032698: 5916: General: CRipTask::InitCDCopy: temp filename=D:\Users\Jay\Music\Temp\Artist - Name.wav, hwnd=4a094e
0032698: 5916: CD: CMJDriveInterface::SPTIScanForDrives: Start
0032698: 5916: CD: CMJDriveInterface::SPTIScanForDrives:   GetCDCaps on 4, ha=0, id=1, lun=0
0032698: 5916: CD: : closehandle 11520
0032698: 5916: CD: : closehandle 11520
0032698: 5916: CD: : closehandle 11520
0032713: 5916: CD: : closehandle 11520
0032713: 5916: CD: CMJDriveInterface::SPTIScanForDrives:     4: drive E: qualifies for writing, vendor=TSSTcorp, model=DVD+-RW TS-H653A
0032713: 5916: CD: CMJDriveInterface::SPTIScanForDrives: Finish (15 ms)
0032713: 5916: CD: : CMapDrive init
0032713: 5916: CD: : DeleteAll
0032713: 5916: CD: CMJDriveInterface::SPTIScanForDrives: Start
0032713: 5916: CD: CMJDriveInterface::SPTIScanForDrives:   GetCDCaps on 4, ha=0, id=1, lun=0
0032713: 5916: CD: : closehandle 11508
0032713: 5916: CD: : closehandle 11508
0032713: 5916: CD: : closehandle 11508
0032729: 5916: CD: : closehandle 11508
0032729: 5916: CD: CMJDriveInterface::SPTIScanForDrives: Finish (16 ms)
0032729: 5916: CD: : Reset, numdrives=1
0032729: 5916: CD: : Reset, checking 0
0032729: 5916: CD: : Reset, checking drive E, vendor=TSSTcorp, product=DVD+-RW TS-H653A
0032729: 5916: CD: : Leaving reset, driveLetters=[E]
0032729: 5916: CD: : GetMaxDrives
0032729: 5916: CD: : returning 1 drives
0032729: 5916: CD: : OpenDriveByLetter: numcddrives=1, DrvLetter=e:
0032729: 5916: CD: :   checking i=0, DriveLetters[i]=E
0032729: 5916: CD: : GetMaxDrives
0032729: 5916: CD: : returning 1 drives
0032729: 5916: CD: : GetInfo for 0
0032729: 5916: CD: : GetInfo for 0
0032729: 5916: CD: : closehandle 11520
0032745: 5916: CD: : closehandle 11520
0032745: 5916: CD: : closehandle 11520
0032745: 5916: CD: :   OpenDriveByNumber: found=True, ret=0
0032745: 5916: General: CRipTask::InitCDCopy: Finish (47 ms)
0032745: 5916: CD: : ReadTrack_A, Track(s)=1, strDataFilename=\\teradactyl\shared\music\Assorted\CD Name\Artist - Name
0032745: 5916: CD: : before Init
0032760: 5916: CD: : after Init
0032760: 5916: CD: : ReadTrack_A: Init problem, err=-2146827560
0032869: 5916: CD: CCDManagerImpl::Open: drive E: opened, nRefCount=1, hDeviceId=1
0032885: 5916: CD: CCDManagerImpl::Close: close called for drive E:
0032885: 5916: CD: CCDManagerImpl::Close: found in map, decremented nRefCount=0, hDeviceId=1
0032885: 5916: CD: CCDManagerImpl::Close:   >>> removed from map and MCI closed, nError=0
0032994: 5916: CD: CCDManagerImpl::Open: drive E: opened, nRefCount=1, hDeviceId=1
0033010: 5916: CD: CCDManagerImpl::Close: close called for drive E:
0033010: 5916: CD: CCDManagerImpl::Close: found in map, decremented nRefCount=0, hDeviceId=1
0033010: 5916: CD: CCDManagerImpl::Close:   >>> removed from map and MCI closed, nError=0
0033010: 5916: General: CRipTask::StartRipping: failed ReadMultiTracks, msg=Read track failed. Failed to initialize the encoder plugin.
0033010: 5916: General: CRipTask::StartRipping: Finish (312 ms)

Don't know what other relevant info to share.  I've tried changing the audio output from Directsound to Wave, not affect.  I've been happily ripping to MP3 with these same settings for awhile before this and I don't know of any relevant changes I've made to MC or Vista recently that would have brought this about.

Any insight is appreciated. 

Thanks

[jointhedots]

 
I have the same problem with the internal mp3 encoder. I was on version .396 and then updated to .400 and still the same. The external mp3 encoder works ok.

[RedJ]

Since the original post was made over the holidays, I've held back on bumping this, figuring lots of folks were away doing better things than monitoring the boards.  Now that we're firmly into the new year, I'd still like to get this problem sorted out since encoding MP3s tends to be a core bit of MC functionality.

[JimH]

Did you try updating MC?  12.0.404 is current.

[RedJ]

I had done several updates.  I'm currently 12.0.403, so I'll try again...

[UPDATE] Nope, same result.  Any other troubleshooting steps you could recommend.  I find it strange other encoder rip just fine.

[Alex B]

Just in case the LAME encoder binary happens to be broken for some odd reason you could try to replace it in the [MC program location]\Plugins folder. The MC installer package does not contain the lame.exe file (MC downloads it separately when it is used for the first time).

You can download the LAME encoder package from this link.

EDIT

Oops...  I just noticed your update: "When I switched the encoder to external and pointed it to the LAME.exe in the MC folder, everything ripped just fine." So the exe file is probably fine.

Could it be a Vista issue?
Or could the Windows registry settings be broken? Installing a newer MC build does not necessarily fix the registry. Only a full uninstall (with the registry cleaning option enabled) can do that.

Also, you could try Media Jukebox 12 as a test. It has the same ripping and encoding engine, but the registry settings are saved in a separate location.

[RedJ]

Thanks Alex.  Those seem like pretty reasonable steps (I had already considered a full uninstall, but was hoping to avoid it if possible.)  I hadn't considered using Media Jukebox to test, but that's probably going to be lower risk than a full uninstall as my next step.

[JimH]

Try Alex's suggestion.  Remove C:\Program Files\J River\Media Center 12\Plugins\enc_mp3.dll.

When you try to encode again, MC should download it.  If that works, try encoding with the default settings.

[RedJ]

OK, things are getting stranger by the minute.  I installed MJ12, ripped fine with MP3 VBR High.  I completely uninstalled MC12, delete registry keys.  Then reinstalled in a completely different hard disk location.  Still won't rip using MP3.  Then, I deleted the enc_mp3.dll and, instead of downloading the missing component, MC gave me an error msg saying I needed to run with Power User or above setting and then a subsequent msg that I needed to reinstall MC12.  So, just for fun, I copied the enc_mp3.dll from MJ12 to MC12- the encoder is back, but it won't rip.  The other thing that was strange is that I would have expected to have to re-register MC12 after having done a complete uninstall, but it is still activated after the reinstall.

[Alex B]

OK, things are getting stranger by the minute.  I installed MJ12, ripped fine with MP3 VBR High.  I completely uninstalled MC12, delete registry keys.  Then reinstalled in a completely different hard disk location.  Still won't rip using MP3.

Did you delete the registry keys manually? If yes, possibly you deleted just the user keys. At least some of the the MP3 encoder related keys are in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\JRiver\Media Center 12\Plugins\

If you used the uninstaller's registry cleaning option something really odd is happening if MC12 doesn't work after a clean uninstall and reinstall, but MJ12 works.

hen, I deleted the enc_mp3.dll and, instead of downloading the missing component, MC gave me an error msg saying I needed to run with Power User or above setting and then a subsequent msg that I needed to reinstall MC12.  So, just for fun, I copied the enc_mp3.dll from MJ12 to MC12- the encoder is back, but it won't rip.

Actually, the enc_mp3.dll file is included in the installer package. MC downloads only the lame.exe and gogo.exe files on the need basis.

The other thing that was strange is that I would have expected to have to re-register MC12 after having done a complete uninstall, but it is still activated after the reinstall.

The registration is separate from the other program data. Media Center uninstallers always preserve paid registrations. This is by design.

[RedJ]

I used the MC12 uninstaller's registry cleaning to do the job, nothing manual.  In fact, I went back and uninstalled MC12 again, with remove libraries option

(BTW- Jim, I think it would behoove you guys to make it really clear in the uninstaller that the "Uninstall Libraries" option of the uninstall will also delete all of the library BACKUP zip files too Ouch!  I had all my backups in the .\Users\Account\AppData\Roaming\J River\Media Center 12\Library Backup\ - that MC12 picked by default- which, in retrospect, was probably not a great place for them) 

[Alex B]

Do you have any undelete utility? It may be possible to restore deleted files if the physical disk location is still untouched.

I have used File Scavenger with good results (it is a $50 program): http://www.quetek.com/prod02.htm

The first free option I found with Google was this: http://www.officerecovery.com/freeundelete/ (I have no idea if it works.)

[RedJ]

I'm trying to hunt it down with Recuva (a freeware too).  It's found a bunch of backups from that folder, but nothing very recent (I made a backup just before uninstalling today).  I may just have to start over.

[RedJ]

Fortunately, I had a redundant backup of the library from today on another computer.  So I'm now back to where I started- Can't rip MP3s unless through external command-line LAME, even though it works fine on same computer in Media Jukebox.  Does J River have a more thorough clean-up script I could maybe try?  Seems like something has to getting missed on the uninstall for this to not be working.

[AC]

Was there a solution to this?  I now have the same problem after getting the update (I assume to 12.0.404).  It worked fine before.

Again, it works if I try the external encoder and point it to the lame encoder in the Media Center folder in Program Files.  But I do not know how to set this to VBR and High so its not a solution I am particularly happy with.

[RedJ]

No, this was never solved for me.  I went so far as to manually look through the registry for references to the dll after one of the uninstalls, but there was nothing I could find.  It really does stink to have some core functionality break suddenly for no apparent reason.  As for the stopgap solution, but I think the settings for LAME are pretty easy to locate and I think there's even a commandline preset for VBR High- can't remember it off the top of my head, and I currently have Media Center uninstalled on this machine until a solution to this and a different problem I'm having since 12.0.4 is found.  It probably has something to do with Vista since this is the only machine I'm running Vista on, and none of my XP machines ran into this problem on the 12.0.4 upgrade (of course, that could be a completely spurious relationship)

[JimH]

A Vista update is coming that might help.

Vista has security screwed down pretty tight.  It's possible that the problem is in that area.  You could try disabling it (as a test).

[Matt]

What happens if you try to convert a file to MP3? (Tools > Advanced Tools > Convert Format)

I just tried doing APE -> MP3 on Vista (with UAC enabled) and it worked without issue.

[RedJ]

OK, I think I've got a bead on this now and it appears I was barking up the wrong tree:

I saw a new version of MC was up, so I installed it and initially had the exact same problem.  I had tried a ton of permutations of settings but I hadn't changed the directory files were ripped to.  I changed it from my NAS to a local drive and viola!, problem solved. 
So then a lightbulb went off and now I know why ripping suddenly changed for me since I had been happily ripping to the library residing on my NAS for awhile now.  Turns out, I had changed from using a mapped drive letter to UNC trying to solve conflicts drive letter naming conflicts with removable drives, but hadn't ripped anything for awhile after that, so the two events didn't line up to me since everything else was working smoothly. 
So, why does MC rip MP3s nicely to a mapped drive, but choke on a UNC?  Everything else, including ripping to other formats, seems to be working smoothly using the UNC for the NAS path.  I would really rather continue using the UNC for everything rather than move my mapped drive letters around.

[AC]

Perfect diagnosis.  I too have been ripping happily to a network drive.  And this is what suddenly failed yesterday.  I did download Media Jukebox (the alternative solution described above) but had exactly the same problem.

Having read your post I tried ripping to the hard drive on this computer and that worked fine.  So its rip to the hard drive and copy to the network.  Which is a shame since I had concluded that these were really good products.

Perhaps someone from J River could suggest a cure.

[RedJ]

Just to be clear, I am now ripping to the network, but I have to use a mapped drive letter instead of a UNC path (i.e. \\teraserver\shared\music\).  That might work good enough for you purposes.  I have pretty compelling reasons to prefer using a UNC path, and it seems to work for other encoders, so one would suspect it could also work for the internal MP3 encoder.

[Matt]

This is fixed in the next public build.

Nice detective work figuring it out.

[RedJ]

AWESOME!  Thank you very much. 

That's what I love about J River - The most responsive development team in the business